


(K)nightly adventures

by SwanFloatieKnight



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Crack, Friendship, Gen, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Late at Night, Skinny Dipping, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 04:20:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29620506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanFloatieKnight/pseuds/SwanFloatieKnight
Summary: Merlin should know by now that when Gwaine tries to persuade him to go out after dark, it usually is a terrible idea to come along.
Relationships: Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 20





	(K)nightly adventures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SunshineM](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineM/gifts).



> no apologies for the pun lmao
> 
> greetings go to my lovely friend who is in theory willing to do all kind of crack with me, and to the two guys we caught skinny dipping in the dark at freezing temperatures xDD

A/N: I posted this fic on Ao3, and on Ao3 alone. If you read this on any other website or platform, please consider that I did not consent to this.

* * *

“Come on, Merlin, you’re no fun!”

To be honest Merlin was not even remotely trying to be fun when Gwaine was standing in front of his door at 10pm asking him to go for a walk and a nightly swim in the creek running right in front of the gates.

“I know the guards, they’ll let us through. It’s Lancelot’s shift. And it will really be fun, promise.”

Merlin rolled his eyes. He had meant to go to bed early for once after Arthur had released him from duty right after dinner. Trust Gwaine to come along and ruin a perfectly quiet evening.

But then he heard Gaius’ voice inside his head who chided him to go out more because he always was so pale and he really needed more fresh air and less time spent over tomes and inside Arthur’s chambers, so Merlin heaved a deep sigh.

“All right, I’m coming along. But I swear if I catch a cold and die I will blame you entirely. And you will have to answer to both Gaius and Arthur for it, just so we’re clear.”

“Perfectly clear.” Gwaine nearly dragged Merlin out of the room as soon as his friend had grabbed a towel and an extra shirt to warm himself up afterwards. “Now come, or their shift will end and we’ll have to climb over the wall!”

Lancelot was still on guard when Gwaine and Merlin showed up at the front gate, and with a tired sigh the knight let his friends slip through a small door next to the huge gate. He only rolled his eyes and gave Merlin’s shoulder a compassionate pat. Then, they were off, leaving the city, following a small foot path along the creek until they reached a small wooden bridge where Gwaine dropped his bag to the ground and without hesitation shrugged out of his coat and shirt.

Merlin shuddered just from looking at him. The air was freezing, the water was icy, mist was rising from the creek as well as from his mouth at every breath. How had Gwaine managed to talk him into something like this again?

“Come on, now!”

The bad thing about Gwaine was that he always actually managed to persuade Merlin to do these things, without forcing him. Now that Merlin saw Gwaine standing in the dew-damp grass on one foot while trying to discard the other one of his boot, he, too, wanted to try this. The water might be icy, but something about the burbling and splashing down beneath the bridge he was standing on sounded very, very tempting.

And the sooner he got in there, the sooner it would be over.

Quickly, Merlin got rid of his clothes. Gwaine, now naked as well, was standing next to him, goosebumps covering his skin, Merlin could see them in the pale moon light. Gods, what were they doing here?

“In we go, right?”

Gwaine’s mischievous grin was all Merlin needed to step over the small railing and into the running water. A high-pitched scream escaped his throat. The water was so cold it stung like needles, and it had only touched his feet so far.

“Oh gods, Gwaine, why?! Why are we doing this?”

“Because it’s fun!” Gwaine insisted, but his chattering teeth made his words sound much less authentic.

“Oh yes, great fun.”

“Well, if you want fun…”

Merlin shrieked. “Fuck you! Stop splashing this water at me, you bastard!”

“Make me!”

Arthur had gone for an evening walk to clear his head after a long day of state business. He hated it, but it was his duty as he was the King of Camelot and there was nothing to be done about it. Come summer he would hopefully find more time to out for hunting and on patrols with his knights, but winter and spring were usually full of bureaucratic duties. By the time that Merlin served him his dinner Arthur’s head had been buzzing and he had loathed the thought of being around any other person for the next few hours. So he had sent Merlin away to enjoy his evening and after lying on his bed trying to relax and failing to do so for nearly two candle marks he had given up and gone for a walk.

As nobody was supposed to be outside the gates after nightfall, Arthur had hoped to finally find some peace and quiet here. He had sneaked out through a small gate in the walls that only he had the key for and walked along the creek, breathing deeply, enjoying the bright light of the nearly full moon playing with the strands of mist that rose from the swiftly running water. It was beautiful, and so calm…

Until he suddenly heard a loud, squeaking cry, the loud splashing of water and the laughter of at least two men. Arthur sighed and shook his head. Sure, nobody was supposed to be out here after dusk, but more often than not some of the knights were out on patrol or, if they knew the guards, on dates or just on quiet walks like he was. He did not judge them, he was merely curious and wanted to make sure that the loud cry he had heard earlier did not mean that anyone had gotten hurt.

When Arthur reached the little bridge though and saw who was responsible for the racket he could only shake his head.

There were Merlin and Gwaine, both of them very much naked as he could see their clothes in piles lying on the bridge and in the grass, and they were splashing around in the icy water, laughing and shivering and greeting him far too cheerful.

“Hello, Arthur!”

“Princess! Have you come to join us?”

The very thought of so much as dipping a toe into the freezing water made Arthur shudder. “No, thank you… what are you even doing out here? It is the middle of the night!”

“We’re just… taking a bath.”

Gwaine looked at him so seriously that Arthur was tempted to smack him over the head, but he thought the risk of falling into the creek if he leaned forward now too high.

“Right… a bath…”

Merlin next to Gwaine nodded, but he was quick to add: “We were just about to leave and go back home and to bed, right?”

Gwaine nodded eagerly.

“Sure…” Arthur raised an eyebrow. On the one hand, he would love to scold them for their child-like behaviour and the noise they were making, but on the other hand he was definitely too exhausted to deal with them now. He just waved at them and wished them a good night before he turned around and walked away. Over his shoulder he called: “See you at breakfast, Merlin, and at training, Gwaine. And for both of your sakes, I hope you didn’t catch a cold on your little adventure!”

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, please leave me a comment and Kudos! :D


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